The Acadia Cocktail by Oriole Bar, London
Few words evoke a warm sense of nostalgia as acutely as peanut butter and jelly. An iconic duo, the sandwich filling has graced many a lunchbox. What then, do we do with PB&J now we are a little too old for packed lunches? According to Oriole, one of London’s newest cocktail bars, we put it in a drink.
A stone’s throw from the bustling cobbled streets of Covent Garden, Oriole opened in the tail end of a rainy British summer, with its cozy, sub-terranean bar as good a reason as any to be excited for fall to kick in. Although labelled as ‘new,’ Oriole is actually a 2.0 – the original smaller site, which sat over town in Smithfield Market, opened in 2015, but closed in 2023.
Following a temporary summer pop-up, the award-winning bar concept (brought to you by the same team as Soho’s iconic Bar Swift and Nightjar) is back for good. There is a first-floor bar, but make your way downstairs for the real fun – the basement bar is reminiscent of a traditional speakeasy.
[See also: The HoneyBee by Beyoncé’s SirDavis Whisky]
A stage for intimate live music occupies one side of the room; a glittering gold-tiled bar lines the other. Snag a table stageside for the best view of the entertainment, or go for a booth at the back for a more private affair.
And then, what about that peanut butter and jelly cocktail? Head down Oriole’s dark stairs and order the Acadia – a silky, rich beauty of a cocktail that swirls tart redcurrant jelly and crunchy peanut butter in with spicy bourbon and maple syrup. It’s all the things we love in a PB&J, just in grown-up form.
For those not in London Town, Oriole’s bar director Samet Ali has shared the recipe for its signature cocktail. These measurements serve two; invite a friend over or have two yourself – no judgment here.
[See also: The Choco Negroni by Mayfair’s Il Gattopardo]
Ingredients (serves 2):
Content from our partners
- 80 ml of bourbon
- 40 ml grapefruit juice
- 20 ml maple syrup
- 2 tsp crunchy peanut butter
- 2 tsp redcurrant jelly
- 2 tsp Drambuie
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 squares of chocolate
Method:
Stir together the bourbon, grapefruit juice, maple syrup, crunchy peanut butter, redcurrant jelly, Drambuie and lemon juice. Pour into a sealed container and chill for 24 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a shaker filled with ice, stir briefly, then pour over ice. Garnish with the two chocolate squares.
